Aligning and positioning device for piston valves



May 17, l932`. E. H. THOMPSON 1,859,181-

' ALIGNING AND BOSITIONING DEVICE FOR PISTON VALVES l Filed nec. s, 192sPatented May 17, 1.932

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST H. THOMPSON, O'F EVASTON, ILLINOISALIGNING ma rosrrronme DEVICE ron rIs'roN vALvEs Application ledDecember 3l, 1928. Serial No. 323,542.

5 fiuid meter construction as disclosed in applicants copendingapplication filed March 5, 1928, Serial No. 259,207, and in the im;proved type of meter as shown in other applications filed concurrentlyherewith.

In addition to properly and accuratel po sitioning the piston valvemember wit respect to its valve ports, the present device also acts asan aligner for said valve member, to maintain the same in properrelation to its cylinder walls, said device being longitudinallydisposed with respect t0 the cylinder and piston.

The piston valve in question is that type wherein said piston, beingprovided with the necessary transverse assageways, is adapted to bereciprocated y the alternate energizing of oppositely disposedelectromagnets or solenoids, the passageways the piston valve beingbrought into and out of re 'stry with appropriate valve orts. It haseveloped in actual practice t at there is not always a perfect registrybetween the valve passageways in the piston and the valve ports, nor dothese parts always re-A main in accurate registering position, duepossibly to a slight rebound of the piston valve. It is absolutelyessential, to the efcient and accurate working ofthe meter, that theports do register correctly and that they so remain in this relation upuntil the time the valve is shifted to its other or reverse position.

Applicant has heretofore used'a spring pressed cam faced detent,disposed trans-3 versely of the piston valve and adapted to snapl into arecess in said piston valve at the proper time and hold the same in thatposi- Y tion until pulled in the opposite direction .in shifting thevalve, a similar detent being provided near the opposite end of thepiston to hold the same in that position in a similar manner. In thesedevices, however," in performing the above described movements, thepiston valve is given a lateral thrust upon disengagng itself from thecam faced detent and owing to the delicate construction of this valvemechanism and the necessity for a very close fitting of the parts, thislateral thrust, although very slight, is s'u'icient to prevent anabsolutely whole.

The object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement,whereby the piston valve will be maintained in correct registero0 ingposition with respect to the valve ports and at the same time the pistonwill be properly aligned; thus eliminating all tendency on the part ofthe piston to stick or bind in its supporting cylinder. Briefly statedthe present invention comprises a U-shaped sprlng clip secured in eachend `of the pistonl valve cylinder, and projecting inwardly inlongitudinal alignment W1ththe. p1ston. The inner ends of these 70spring clips are curved first inwardlyft'owards each otherr and thenoutwardly as shown in the drawings, the purpose of which will beapparent as the description progresses. Each end of the piston valve isprovided with a longitudinal recess into which the U-shaped springvclips extend. Disposed transversely of the piston and across the saidlongitudinal recess, is a pin or the like, so positioned with respect tothe inner end of the spring clip,

that said pin will become engaged by and disengaged from said springclip at the prop- .er time, as the piston valve is reciprocated, -duringthe operation of the device in connection with which this valvemechanism is used. 35

Fig. 1 is aview partly in elevation and partly in section illustratingthe positioning and aligning device in operative position; Fig. 2 is asectional view on line 2 2;

free movement of the piston no .and an accurate working` of the deviceas a accompanying draw- Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail View of thevalrious cooperatin parts of the device; and

Fig. `4 is a mo ification.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the novel device is shown incombination with a piston valve construction used in connection with afiuid meterof the t pe wherein the liquid being measured is adiipted tobe admitted to and discharged from the meter in certain timed relation.This admission and discharge is controlled by the periodicalreciprocation of a valve piston 1, said piston being provided withannular passageways 2 and 3 adapted to register at the proper time withports 4 and 6, and 5 and 7 respectively.

The valve piston 1 is reciprocated by alternately energizedelectromagnets 8 and 9 encircling the'opposite ends of the piston, saidpiston working or sliding within. a sleeve or cylinder 10, the oppositeends of said cylinder extending through and being secured to end plates11 of the meter assembly.

The means for periodically energizing electromagnets and the particularrelation between the valve mechanism and the remaining parts of themeter, need no further description, as they form no part of the presentinvention, said invention relating merely to the means for positioningand aligning the valve piston atthe completion of each 'stroke of saipiston.

The alignin device comprises an inwardly extending for or U-sha edspring metal member 12, the base of sai member being secured by a screwor the like 13 to a screw cap 14 threaded onto the outwardly yextendingend of the cylinder 10. In order to insure a liquid tight joint at thispoint, there is provided a washer or gasket 15 between the outer edgesof the cylinder 10 and the inner face* of the ca 14. Interposed betweenthe wash- 'er 15 an the base of the s ring member 12 is a tubular spaceror the lilge 16. Slidable on this spacer 16 is a cup-shaped stop memberor buffer 17, to receive and cushion the impact of the valve piston assaid piston reciprocates back and forth during the operation of thedevice.

The outer end of the valve piston 1 is provided with a cylindricalrecess or chamber 18 into which the spring member 12 projectssulliciently to embrace a transverse pin 19 carried by the piston withinthe recess, said pin being so disposed as to intersect the 1011-gitudinal axis of said piston.

The free ends of the spring member l2 are curved first inwardly towardseach other and then outwardly, to provide clamping fingers 2O forvyieldintgly permitting the passage therethrough o the pin 19 under 'thepull of the electromagnet, the spring pressure of these fingers 20 beingsuiicient however, to revent a release of said pin should there anytendency on the part of the piston to Y move in a reverse direction uponthe deener- -ton within the hol ow en gizing of the electromagnet. Itis, of course, to be understood that the location ofthe pin 19 withrespect to the clamping fingers 20 is such as to maintain thepassageways 2 and 3 of the piston 1 in proper and accurate register withtheir respective ports 4 and 6, and 5 and 7, as the case might be duringthe reciprocation ofsaid valve piston. In addition to this functionthespring member 12 will also maintain the piston in proper alignment withrespect to its cylinder 10 as distinguished from the transverselyarranged cam faced spring detent hereinbefore referred to.

All of the above detailed description has been directed to one end onlyof the valve piston, but it is of course to be understood that both endsof the piston may be similarly constructed and may be provided with asimilar aligning and positioning device, said device functioningalternately as the valve piston reciprocates back and forth.

What I cla-im is:

1. A piston valve including a cylinder and cooperating ports, providedwith means for maintaining said piston valve inproper registry with itsports, said means being concentrically disposed longitudinally of thepiston and within the cylinder, but exteriorly of the valve chamber.

2. In a pistonvalve construction, the combination with a sageways and aollow end portion, of a cylinder provided with ports and means forpositioning said piston so that the passageways thereof will bemaintained in proper register with the ports in said cylinder, saidmeans bein concentricall disposed longitudinally o the piston an thecylinder and extending within the hollow-end portion of the piston.

3. In a piston valve construction, the comiston provided with pas#-bination with `a piston provided with passageways and a hollow endportion, of a cyl.

inder provided with ports, and resilient means carried within the end ofthe cylinder adapted to en age a ortion of the pisdp of said piston forpositioning and aligning said piston, lsaid means being disposedlongitudinally vof the piston andcylinder.

4. In a piston valve construction, the combination with a pistonprovided with passageways, of a cylinder provided with ports, and meanscarried by the end of the cylinder adapted to engage an end portion ofthe piston for positioning and aligning said piston, said meanscomprisin oppositel posed spring fingers projectmg inward y andlongitudinally of the piston, between which fingers said end `portion isadapted to pass during the securin and releasing thereof.

dis-

5. In a piston va ve construction, the coml 1.85am l silient membersecured to said head, a recess in the end of said piston to receive saidresilient member, and means carried by the piston Within said recess tobe engaged and izamped by the open end of said U-shaped member, when thepiston is moved to that end of the cylinder. y

6. In a piston valve construction, the combination with a pistonprovided with passageways, of a cylinder provided with ports, a head foreach end of said cylinder, a U- shaped resilient member secured to eachhead, a recess in the opposite ends of said piston to receive saidresilient members, and means carried by the piston Within each recess tobe engaged and clamped by the open end of said U-shaped member as thepiston reaches each of its extreme positions durinfr the reciprocationthereof.

a. In a piston valve construction, the combination with a pistonprovided with passagevvays, of a cylinder provided with ports, a headfor said cylinder, a U-shaped resilient member secured to said head, arecess in the end of said piston to receive said resilient member, and atransverse pin carried by the piston within said recess intersecting theairis of said piston, adapted to be engaged and clamped by the open endof said l,lshaped member when the piston is moved to that end of thecylinder.

8. In a pistonk valve construction, the coinbination with a pistonprovided with passageways, of a cylinder provided with ports, a head foreach end of said cylinder, a U- shaped 4resilient member secured to eachhead, a recess in the opposite ends of said piston to receive saidresilient members, and a transverse pin carried by the piston Withincach recess intersecting the axis of said piston, adapted to be engagedand clamped y the open end of said U-shaped members for positioning thepassageways of the piston with respect to their registering` ports insaid cylinder and to align said piston as the piston reaches its extremepositions during the reciprocation thereof.

9. The combination with a cylinder and piston and inlet and outlet passaes for said cylinder, of a valve mechanism or controlling said passages,said mechanism comprising a piston provided with passageways and ahollow end portion, a cylinder provided with cooperating ports, andmeans carried by the end of the valve cylinder adapted to engage aportion of the valve piston Within the hollow end portion of said pistonfor aligning said valve piston and maintaining the passagevvays in thevalve piston in proper registry with the ports in the valve cylinder.

10. The combination with a cylinder and piston and inlet and outletpassages for said cylinder, of a valve mechanism for controlling saidpassages, said mechanism comprising-a piston providedwith passagewaysand a cyl-A inder provided 4with cooperating ports, and

l means carried by the end of the valve cylinder 'n adaptedI to engage'an cnd'portion of the valve 'piston :tor po-sitioningnand aligning yvalve piston, said means comprising opposite-f' ly disposedspringfingersprojecting inwardl 1?- ly and longitudinallyfof theval'vepi'ston, bey tween wliicli'iiiigers said end portion is adapte edto pass during the'seciiring'an'd releasing"` thereof. f

il. The combination -with a cylinderfandv` piston and inlet and "outletpassagesfor said cylinder, offa valve' mechanismfor ycontrolling saidpassages,` saidv mechanism ,comprisf ing al piston yprovided ,Withpassageways and a cylinderv provided Witlif:cooperatingportmff a headfor the valve cylii'idei", a Ul-sli'aped're-1 silient member secu red'to said head; afrecess in the end of thc valve piston to',receivesaidkrcsilientinember, and means"carried bythe" valve piston WithinAsaidrece'ss todosengagedfd an d clan'ipc'd by the open end of saidlll-shaped' member when the valvev that end of the cylinder. w

12. The conibinatioi'i vvitliga cylfiiidenand" piston iis moved" to,4 f

piston vand inlet and outletwpassages" lior'saidf cylinder', oV a'valve' mechanism forisontr; y

ling said passages, said "rii'e'clianismi compisu ling a pistonprovided-ivith-passagevvaygmidi a cylinder provided withcooperatingfports,"

a. head for cach end of said valv''e':cylinleilv U-shaped "resilientmember. secured eachA i licadga. recess inthe oppositeiendsof saidvalve'pistonto receive said'resilient members, and means carried by-tlievalve piston vith--" in each recess tobeeiig'a'ged and. ,clampedibythe open end of said U-shaped'members as the valve piston reaches eachof its extreme positions during the reciprocation thereof.

13. The combination with a. cylinder and piston and inlet and outletpassages for said cylinder, of a valve mechanism for controlling saidpassages, said mechanism comprising a piston provided with passagewaysand a cylinder provided with cooperating ports, a head for the valvecylinder, a U-sliaped resilient member secured to said head, a recess inthe 'end of the valve piston to receive said resilient member, and atransverse pin carried by the valve piston Within said recess head, arecess in the opposite ends of said valve piston to receive saidresilient members,

and a'ntransver'se pin carried by the valve piston within each recessintersecting the axis of said valve piston, adapted to be engaged andclam Ad by the open end of said U-shaped mem referr positioning thepassageways of the valve piston with respect to their reglstering portsin said valve cylinder and to align said valve piston as the said pistonreaches its extreme positions during the reciprocation thereof.y

15.v In a piston valve construction, the combination with a pistonprovided with passageways,.of a cy inder provided with ports. in whichsaidpiston reci rocates, means in theend .of the c linder or cushioningthe end thrust of sai piston and means also carried by the `end of thecylinder adapted to engage an end portion of the piston for posit-ioningand aligning said piston, said last mentioned .means being disposedlongitudinally of the piston and cylinder and independent of said firstmentioned means.

16.` In a piston valve construction, the combination with a pistonprovided with passageways, of. a cy inder` provided with ports in whichsaid piston reciprocates, means in each end of the cylinder forcushioning the end thrusts of said piston and means also carried by eachendl of the cylinder adapted to engage an end portion ofthe piston forpositioning and allgning said piston, said last mentioned means beingdisposed longitudi-4 nally of the piston and cylinder and inde-J pendentof said first. mentioned means.

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature.

RNEST' Hl THGMPSON.

